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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28890573">Black and White, Good or Bad</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrien1031/pseuds/adrien1031'>adrien1031</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, No Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:02:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,258</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28890573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrien1031/pseuds/adrien1031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Technoblade realizes that he hasn't seen Ranboo in a few days and starts to worry something has gone wrong. He enlists the help of Tubbo, which Tommy disapproves of, to help figure out what happened and possibly fight against shared foes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Completed stories I've read</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Black and White, Good or Bad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this is obviously canon-divergent, it was written right before the end of Chapter 2 of the SMP, just for timeline sake. Line breaks indicate a POV switch, but it should be easy to keep up with. Hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Techno stared out towards the sun as it set over the small village he called his home. It wasn’t much, but it was his. It really only consisted of his house, Phil’s house and Ranboo’s shack. There was also Tommy’s stupid cobblestone tower, but Techno tended to avoid thinking of the tower, not wanting to dwell on the memories of when its builder lived with him. He heaved out a sigh as the memories of Tommy force their way into his thoughts. This is why he avoided people; it just never ends well. He tries to not allow himself to grow attached to anyone because he knows they’ll turn against him. He knows he’ll never have his happy ending. The only one he really cared about was Phil, and even then, he was always just waiting for it to crash and burn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then there’s Ranboo. Techno swore to himself he wouldn’t take anyone in. He was done being a temporary refuge for people who used him and then turned their back on him. Except he couldn’t help himself when he spoke to Ranboo and realized he was just as lost as Techno was when L’Manberg was destroyed the first time. He had nowhere to go, no place to call home. So, reluctantly, Techno offered him safety, a place to stay, and his loyalty. He was aware it probably wasn’t a good idea. Hell, this happened literally minutes after his last refugee betrayed him and destroyed his trust, but something just felt wrong about leaving the younger child behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno glanced over at the shack belonging to Ranboo, as he had done quite often over the past few days. He hadn’t seen him in at least three days. His crops were fully grown with no one there to harvest them, his parrots still sat on the ground, awaiting their owner’s return. The first day, he didn’t think anything of it, assuming he was probably just visiting his friend Tubbo or other people back in the SMP lands. The second day he became slightly more worried, but still tried to keep himself from overreacting. It was now the end of the third day, and Techno felt as though he now had good reason to be worried about Ranboo. He had already asked Phil who also realized he had not seen the younger boy in a few days and couldn’t recall any signs that he had been home, which made the duo grow more worried and decide they might want to ask around about him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Snow fell lightly on the ground as Tubbo settled in his new home. He still felt the ghost of long-gone pain from his old home being destroyed. He could still hear the explosions, still fought withers while sleeping and woke up in a panic as fireworks tore him apart in his dreams. He didn’t want to dwell on the past. He wished for nothing more than to move forward and start his new life in Snowchester. He was trying. That’s all he could do for now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On a particularly bad night, Tubbo tossed in his bed restlessly, unable to go back to sleep after being scared awake by nightmares of his execution. He laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling stuck in a limbo of exhaustion and adrenaline, when suddenly he heard a small crunching noise from outside. He tried to ignore it, deciding his sleep-deprived brain was probably playing tricks on him. He was always too paranoid when he was alone, and tonight he was completely alone in his snowy home. Just as he had calmed himself down a bit, he heard more crunching from outside, distinctly recognizing them as footsteps as someone walked on the freshly fallen show, coming towards his house. He dragged himself out of bed and made his way to the window, glancing through the slightly frosted glass to try and find the source of the noise. He could definitely make out a person walking, but the snow was obstructing his view to the point that he couldn’t identify the person. He started to turn away, assuming it was just Jack Manifold returning to his own home late at night, when a small breeze disrupted the falling snow just enough for him to identify the figure as none other than the man who has plagued his nightmares for weeks. Technoblade.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo quickly turned away from the window, pressing his back harshly against the wooden wall as he felt his pulse quicken and breathing become labored. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to see bright colors and gunpowder exploding in front of him to wake him up, but it never came. Instead of hearing the deafening explosions of fireworks, he was instead startled by a loud knock at his front door. He took a few seconds to calm his breathing before slowly making his way over to the door to face the nightmare on the other side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t something he wanted to do. It really wasn’t. Techno was very aware that his relationship with Tubbo was…strained to say the least. He couldn’t exactly blame the younger man for his animosity, seeing as how he did execute him and then destroyed his entire nation. There was a reason he never tried to reconcile with Tubbo. He always liked the younger boy, but logically, he knew that he had been the villain in Tubbo’s story. He couldn’t bring himself to even attempt apologizing, especially after he learned from Ranboo that Tubbo still had nightmares of the dreaded Festival. He knew it was better to just stay away from him, and he hoped Tubbo would understand that he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t genuinely important.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened in front of him to reveal the boy in question. Techno instantly noticed his eyes were wide and looked panicked, but his posture was rigid as if trying to appear strong to hide his fear. But the eyes. It was the eyes that betrayed him. Tubbo’s pupils were dilated impossibly large, turning his brown eyes into black voids that told Techno his every emotion. Fear, anxiety, worry. Terror. Techno instinctively felt himself wanting to comfort Tubbo before realizing that he was the cause of those emotions. Tubbo was terrified of him, and for good reason. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Tubbo.” Techno spoke quietly, as if afraid to scare Tubbo away, which seemed like a real possibility right now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Technoblade,” came the quiet but steely reply. Tubbo didn’t need to raise his volume whatsoever to express the anger behind his words. “What are you doing here?” Techno realized that Tubbo’s expression had changed, he didn’t seem as scared, possibly realizing this wasn’t one of his nightmares. He just looked angry. Betrayed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen, I know you don’t want to see me,” Techno started explaining, earning a huff from the younger boy as he rolled his eyes. Techno chose to ignore that and continue. “Look, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important, you know that. I just need to know if you’ve seen Ranboo at all recently.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mention of his good friend instantly softened Tubbo’s expression for a very brief second before he returned his mask of anger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, not in at least a couple days. Why are you asking me, shouldn’t you have seen him more than me?” Tubbo asked, confused since Ranboo was supposed to be living with Techno, why would he have seen him more recently than Techno?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well obviously that’s why I’m asking. He hasn’t been home in a few days, I was hoping he had maybe been staying here or something,” the older man explained, worry continuing to grow in his chest. This was the most likely place Ranboo would be, so it didn’t exactly bode well that Tubbo hadn’t seen him at all recently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno could tell Tubbo was realizing something was wrong, as he slowly seemed to be letting his guard down in favor of shifting that focus to worrying about his friend. Techno was surprised when Tubbo stepped sideways in the doorway and swept his hand in a beckoning motion, welcoming the man into his home. Techno hesitated but took the opportunity, following Tubbo to a small table and taking a seat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we should talk about some things,” Techno said, hoping to finally have the opportunity to apologize to Tubbo. Although he still stood hard in his beliefs, he never actually wanted to hurt the boy. It was just collateral damage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When was the last time you saw Ranboo?” Tubbo asked, completely deflecting what Techno has said. Techno felt slightly off-put but decided Ranboo was the more important topic to be focused on anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About 3 days ago. We crossed paths as he was leaving home and I was coming back from a mining trip. We didn’t talk much, so I don’t really know where he was headed, but that’s the last time I saw him.” Techno explained. He made a mental note to make sure to ask people where they’re going from now on.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What day was that, exactly?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would have been Wednesday. Why?” Techno answered, wanting to provide as much information as possible. Techno saw some sort of recognition flash in Tubbo’s eyes, but the boy chose to stay silent. If Wednesday meant anything to him, he chose not to express it to Technoblade. “Listen, I know things are messy right now and that a lot of that is on me. But I’m worried about him. So, if you hear from him or know anything, please just let me know, okay?” Techno said as he stood up to leave. He wanted to keep looking for Ranboo as much as possible tonight. Tubbo simply nodded an affirmation and continued staring down towards the table as Techno walked over to the door. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a quiet voice speak up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right. I know we need to talk about things. I’m just not ready to fully face you yet.” Tubbo finally turned and made eye contact with Techno, and again, Techno could read every expression just from his eyes. The hurt, the pain, but also the fight. Tubbo was fighting to make himself okay, and that was something he had to do in his own time. Techno would wait.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo really hoped it was coincidence. It had to be, right? There’s no way Tommy had something to do with Ranboo going missing. He would never do something to hurt Ranboo…at least that’s what Tubbo hoped. Sure, the two hadn’t been getting along recently, but he didn’t think it was anything bad enough to cause this. Tubbo recalled the last conversation he had with Tommy, just a few days ago, on Wednesday night. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for Tubbo to see Tommy angry, but this was different. It wasn’t just blind anger at surface-level disagreements, this was something that burned darker. Anger that took root in a deeper part of Tommy that Tubbo didn’t like to think about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tubbo, you just don’t get it, do you?” Tubbo recalled the way his heart ached when he heard his best friend sound more broken than he had ever heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think I do, I’m sorry” he had replied, not wanting to seem like he was taking sides but still wanting to support his best friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He helped him, Tubbo. He was on his side, they’re practically friends,” Tommy had frantically explained, trying to make his best friend understand why he was so hurt. “After everything he put me through, after all the manipulation and abuse, Ranboo has chosen to side with Dream. Look at what they did to my fucking house Tubbo! And he still had the audacity to come look surprised about it, mocking me. How can you not get it? You’re supposed to back me up, you’re supposed to be on my side.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he continued his walk to Tommy’s house. That conversation was probably the most vulnerable he had ever seen Tommy and he had hated it. He wanted to side with Tommy, he always sided with Tommy. But Ranboo was his friend too, and Tubbo knew that Ranboo wasn’t a bad person. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that Ranboo had actually caused the destruction that Tommy believed he did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He crested over the final hill and finally reached his friend’s house, or at least where it used to be. He noticed that Tommy had started to rebuild, replacing the mass of netherrack with dirt blocks, making the house blend into the grass hill behind it once again. Tubbo walked toward what used to be the front entrance just as Tommy came through the door leading to the back room that he was currently restoring. Tommy instinctively smiled upon seeing his best friend, unaware of the bad circumstances of his visit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Tubbo! Wasn’t expecting you to stop by today,” Tommy greeted cheerily, not noticing his friend’s demeanor at first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Tommy,” Tubbo replied, his voice not sounding nearly as happy, heavy with unease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is everything okay?” Tommy questioned, worry passing his face. He was always fairly protective of Tubbo, especially with everything the duo had been through recently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo hesitated to reply, suddenly questioning if this was actually a good idea or not. Tubbo didn’t want to sound too worried for Ranboo since he knew Tommy could be a little irrational at times and would probably get upset at the questions Tubbo needed to ask. He had to ask though. If something was wrong with Ranboo, and there was a chance it had something to do with Tommy, he needed to know.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not really…” Tubbo started, unsure of how to approach the subject. “Techno visited me in Snowchester last night.” Tubbo watched as Tommy’s expression instantly steeled into a mask of outright hatred.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” Tommy asked, his voice extremely tense compared to earlier. Tubbo realized that was probably not the best opening for the subject, but he had been so focused on slowly bringing up Ranboo that he momentarily forgot that Tommy’s hatred for Techno was even stronger. He quickly tried to remedy the situation but knew there wasn’t really a good way of backpedaling without changing the subject, which he couldn’t do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was asking about Ranboo,” Tubbo tried to say as casually as possible, but watched as confusion passed over his friend’s features, so he decided to just be upfront about why he was here. “Listen Tommy, I know you’re not going to like me asking this, but I need to know if anything else happened between you and Ranboo that you didn’t tell me. I won’t be angry, it’s just important that I know the full story. Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo saw the hurt flash in his friend’s eyes, and he felt a pang of guilt, but tried to remind himself that he was doing this to help another friend. He hoped Tommy would understand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I already told you everything. You know I don’t keep secrets from you,” Tommy replied, worsening the guilt Tubbo was feeling. He could sense that Tommy was hurt by his question, something he knew the younger boy would never admit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I do know that. It’s just that Ranboo hasn’t been home in a few days and Techno’s getting worried that something’s wrong. He’s been missing since Wednesday. Nobody’s seen him since you two had your argument.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy didn’t want to be mad at Tubbo. He always tried to do his best to understand his friend’s intentions, even when it seemed like Tubbo was betraying him. This was definitely one of those instances. This felt like betrayal. Tubbo was worried about Ranboo, the friend of Tommy’s worst enemy. He knew Tubbo was still friends with him, and although he didn’t understand how he could stand by Ranboo’s side, he tried to never question that decision. So, for now, he would be nice about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Tubbo, but I really don’t know anything. Maybe you could ask Dream.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo instantly noticed how guarded Tommy’s words felt, as if he was blocking himself from expressing the emotions Tubbo knew he’d be feeling, along with the spite that was very evident in his suggestion. He knew he was hurting Tommy, as much as Tubbo hated to admit it. He could guarantee that Tommy was feeling like he was betraying him just by asking about Ranboo. But alongside the guilt Tubbo felt, he also found himself growing tired of trying to be so careful around his friend just because he was also friends with someone Tommy thought of as an enemy. His exhaustion at the situation is the only thing that allowed him to walk away from the situation instead of pushing further. He’ll come back to Tommy if need be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Techno heaved a sigh as he reluctantly made his way towards the Dream SMP lands. He wasn’t even sure what his plan was, he knew he wasn’t allowed within the borders of the land, but this morning marked the fourth day since he’d seen Ranboo, so he was willing to be risky. He would admit though, he didn’t exactly expect it to go downhill as quickly as it did. Technically he hadn’t even broken any laws yet when it all went wrong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Technoblade walked through the plains biome on the way to the SMP lands, his mind was filled with worry, with questions about where Ranboo could have possibly gone and worst-case scenarios about what could have happened to the boy. He was so lost in thought that he almost missed him. Dream, standing directly in his path in full netherite armor wielding his axe. His intentions could not be clearer. This was a threat, but not one that would deter what Techno was trying to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dream.” Techno greeted as he got close enough for conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Technoblade,” Dream replied, matching the tense tone of the exiled man. “You know you’re not supposed to be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Actually, just to be clear, I’m not in your lands yet. I haven’t broken any laws,” Techno remarked and instantly regretted. He shouldn’t be chastising the man who could possibly help him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess that’s technically true,” Dream replied, growing skeptical of why the other man was here. He knew the other man was undeniably aware of the fact that he was banned from exactly where he had been heading. Dream felt himself growing anxious at what could possibly cause Techno to break the law in order to visit the SMP lands. Of course, he showed none of this in his expression, masking his face with an intimidating expression that he had learned to wear well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen, I don’t actually need to go into your lands at all, it’s actually probably a good thing you met me out here,” Techno started explaining even as he saw the confusion settle on Dream’s face. “I just need to know if you’ve seen or heard anything about Ranboo? He hasn’t been home in days and I’m worried about him. Has he been over in your lands at all?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno watched as Dream’s expression shifted into something he couldn’t quite place. It still seemed as though he was just trying to protect his lands, but something beyond the surface had shifted. He no longer had the slight confusion that was present before, leaving something nearly sinister in its place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that too much,” Dream replied vaguely. Techno couldn’t help but notice the smile that seemed present in his words, causing Techno’s blood to run cold. Something was wrong. Something was extremely wrong, and Dream had something to do with it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where is he, Dream?” Techno asked, dropping the act of trying to be civil with the other man and steeling himself for the fight he felt was coming. Dream instantly noticed the shift and responded by similarly dropping his role as protector and falling into what could only be described into villainous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s somewhere that was made just for him. I’m sure he loves it there,” Dream smirked as he continues to be vague about Ranboo’s whereabouts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno desperately racked his brain for any sort of thing that could match the riddle of Dream’s words. Things just didn’t seem to add up, he spoke as if this was something nice but the malicious tone he chose to take suggested that this was extremely bad for Ranboo. He tried to think of any possible place that could match the vague description. Within a matter of seconds he had mentally gone through an extensive list of builds on the SMP and couldn’t think of a single threat, until he suddenly recalled something Dream himself had said a few weeks prior.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The one person it’s built for will be more than capable of breaking out, if they really want to,” Techno mumbled under his breath. That line had stuck in his head so clearly because he thought it was meant for him. He had spent countless nights worrying and attempting to strategize about a threat that he knew basically nothing about. He never in his wildest dreams would have expected this. “The prison? You put him in that sick prison?” Techno asked, his voice slightly shaky from barely concealed rage that threatened to spill out.</span>
</p>
<p><span>“He’s destructive Techno.</span> <span>It’s what needs to be done. It’s the safest option for everyone.” Techno felt explosive, instantly feeling rage burn bright as he listened to Dream’s words.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“The safest option? He is a CHILD. A CHILD! He’s still learning, growing! He’s barely been around for a few weeks now and he’s spent most of it trying to convince himself that he’s not a monster because of the things you’ve told him! Everyone else on this server has caused far more destruction than him, I HAVE CAUSED MORE DESTRUCTION THAN HIM! But you don’t care about that at all, you care that he caught you in your little act of playing God. He understood what no one else on this server did, he revealed what everyone else on this server was too scared to even think about. You don’t care about our safety, you don’t care about your people. You care that you have power, you only care that people fear you. But guess what? I have never felt less afraid of you than I do now. So let’s clear this up, just you and I. One God versus another.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both instantly fell into defensive battle stances, shields raised, glaring at each other, trying to figure out the best plan of attack. Dream looked almost amused at the idea of fighting Techno, which was echoed in the way he spoke. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see you got the Axe of Peace back” Dream observed with a smirk, glancing down at the Enchanted Netherite Axe his rival was wielding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, actually. Ranboo made me a new one, the poor kid wanted to pay rent.” Techno replied with a sneer, to which Dream let out a laugh that was completely devoid of any humor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A little ironic don’t you think? But then again, I suppose the Axe of Peace always was as well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up and fight me you god-complex bastard”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Frozen. Tubbo found himself frozen in shock, shaking in fear for what he just heard. He had been looking in DreamSMP lands all night for any sign of Ranboo, desperately searching for anything that would ease his mind about his friend’s whereabouts. He has finally realized he needed to sleep sometime soon before his body succumbed to exhaustion, so he started heading home. At least, that was the plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere along the way, he realized he was not actually heading home at all. His feet had started carrying him in a direction that his mind would never have gone in. He was headed towards Techno’s base. He stuttered to a stop for a second as his mind instantly went into overdrive to analyze his own actions. Why would he be going to Techno’s base? He wasn’t even sure if he was welcome there, he had never even considered visiting. He could barely bring himself to think about Techno without feeling intense anxiety. There was no reason for the younger boy to be headed to his base.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo was so lost in thought that he almost didn’t see them. He was lucky enough to hear Techno’s voice before he got close enough for Techno and Dream to spot him. He noticed that they both looked angry, as if he has just caught them in the middle of a fight, so he decided to hide behind a tree and listen in to make sure everything was okay.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You put him in that sick prison?” Tubbo heard Techno ask, his voice sounding disgusted at the thought of someone being stuck in that place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s destructive Techno. It’s what needed to be done.” That was all Tubbo heard before realization dawned on him and he felt himself instantly sucked into a spiral of panic. The prison. Ranboo was in the prison, Dream put him in the prison. Tubbo roughly pushed his back against the rough bark of the tree, eyes vacantly staring ahead as thoughts swirled through his head. He could hear Techno yelling in the background but his brain wouldn’t process the words, instead choosing to force thoughts of Ranboo suffering alone in the scariest place on the server. Tubbo forced himself to take deep breaths, trying his best to calm himself down as much as possible. It took all his willpower to not spiral into his emotions, and soon he found himself sprinting as fast as he could to the one person he hoped he could count on. Tommy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His lungs burned and legs ached, desperate to stop running as he finally reached Tommy's house. He took only a second to slightly rest, desperate to make his way to Ranboo as soon as he could. But he couldn’t go alone. He knew he needed help from someone, and he also knew that the one person who almost always had his back was Tommy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He ran into his friend’s house, long past the point of knocking, and raked his eyes throughout the small house, instantly spotting Tommy in the corner looking through a chest. Tommy heard Tubbo run in and quickly noticed his heavy breathing and panicked expression, causing him to immediately switch into protective mode. He glanced behind Tubbo to make sure he wasn’t being followed or chased before walking the few paces to his friend and grabbing his shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, calm down. What’s going on? Are you okay?” Tommy asked, worry evident in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No time,” Tubbo struggled to say between gasping breaths. “Ranboo…prison…Dream.” He could barely get out a few words as he worked on getting his breathing even, having to fight against not only the sprinting he had just done, but also the panic causing his breathing to be strained. Luckily, Tommy seemed to understand what he was saying even with the limited context. Tubbo watched as Tommy’s eyes went wide in realization, but Tubbo felt himself grow worried when the shocked expression quickly faded into a hard glare as Tommy’s hands left Tubbo’s shoulders and returned to his sides.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So Dream locked Ranboo in the prison?” He asked, just to make sure he was correct. Tubbo nodded. “And let me guess, you’re going to go help him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I am, I need you help,” Tubbo replied, his breathing now under control enough to talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And why the hell would I do that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo felt his heart skip. His breath that he had just gotten under control left his lungs in a startled gasp, mouth open slightly in surprise. This wasn’t right, this wasn’t how this was supposed to go. Tommy was supposed to help him, to have his back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-what? You have to Tommy, he can’t just be stuck there. He’s our friend!” Tubbo was on the verge of yelling, but also instantly regretted his words as he saw Tommy’s face flash with anger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"God Tubbo, we’ve been over this! He may be your friend, but he’s definitely not mine. I don’t think he ever was. He helped him Tubbo! After everything he did to me. He chose his side. If you ask me, he's exactly where he deserves to be." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo stared back in complete shock, torn between two of his best friends, unable to believe that Tommy couldn’t see the good in Ranboo that he saw. He stared at the anger and hurt the covered Tommy’s face and suddenly understood that unless he could make Tommy understand, this could end up becoming a choice between which friend he would keep. He couldn’t abandon Ranboo, but in helping him, he could lose the one friendship that had persevered through everything. Well, almost everything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo’s voice was heavy with remorse as he finally owned up to actions that had plagued the friendship for a while now. "I messed up Tommy. When you were alone, I exiled you. I wasn't there, I didn't let you explain yourself and I severed your bonds with everyone who cared about you and left you vulnerable to Dream's manipulations.” Tommy could see a shine in Tubbo’s eyes as he spoke, tears threatening to spill over. “But have you ever stopped to think that maybe Ranboo is being manipulated by Dream exactly the same way you were? After all, even you believed Dream was your only friend at one point. Don't make the same mistake as me. Help him Tommy, I'm begging you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo waited for a reply, hoping against all odds that Tommy would see reason. His hope was crushed though, as his friend stayed silent, turned away from him, and walked into the back room of his house, silently saying the most heartbreaking “no” that Tubbo had ever experienced. And so he left. He walked out of Tommy’s house, unsure if he would ever be welcomed back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <b>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno stared down at the items littering his feet, covering where his opponent stood seconds before. It had been a tough fight, an intense battle. He knew going into it that his opponent was strong, but he also trusted his own skills to pull him through. At first, Dream had the upper hand, fighting with a finesse that Techno lacked since his motives were being fueled by rage. That ended up being Dream’s downfall though. Dream was fighting because the opportunity presented itself, Techno was actually fighting for a reason. He needed to help his friend, but more than that, he felt like he needed to avenge the damage, both emotional and physical, that Dream had caused for the people Techno cared about. So he fought. Even when he felt like hope was lost, even when he felt like the battle was already over, he continued to fight, not willing to give up until he defeated Dream. Dream, on the other hand, got tired and subsequently started getting lazy with his strategy. He left more openings for attacks and wasn’t as quick to defend. That was the only thing that gave Techno the advantage over him and eventually led to his victory. And Techno made sure Dream knew exactly why he was fighting. With his last three blows, Techno reminded him very clearly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is for Tubbo.” Hit. “This one’s for Tommy.” Hit. “And this…this one’s for Ranboo.” Hit. His opponent took the final blow of damage and disappeared from right in front of him. Techno allowed himself to take two deep breathes before heading directly to the prison, ready to rescue his friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was almost to the prison when he saw Tubbo, heading to the exact same location. He wasn’t sure how the younger boy had figured out where Ranboo was, but he was glad to have the backup, although he did have reservations about letting the boy fight. Neither of them had any idea what the prison might hold, which was terrifying. But as they made eye contact and both saw the fear in each other’s eyes, they silently came to an unspoken agreement that it didn’t matter. They would fight anyone or anything to get to Ranboo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <b>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</b>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo could have cried tears of relief when he saw Techno heading towards the prison. He suddenly realized that even though he used to think of Techno as an enemy, he had been worried about him and the outcome of his fight, and he was glad to see Techno standing before him instead of Dream. It also meant that he wasn’t alone in his fight to help Ranboo. Even if Tommy had chosen to not have his back, at least he had someone. As the duo met at the entrance to the prison, Tubbo wanted to tell Techno that he forgave him, and that he would have his back, no matter what they were about to face, but as he looked up into Techno’s eyes, he realized that the man was just as afraid as he was, and chose instead to stay silent. The man seemed to understand though, as they wordlessly made their way into the prison.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was nothing like what Tubbo had expected. When he thought of a prison, he thought of stone walls and floors, and chains that hold prisoners captive. He did not expect a large, lavish looking room with a single nether portal sat in the middle. He glanced to his side at Techno, who stared straight ahead at the portal, a determined look on his face. He watched as the older man took a deep breath to prepare himself, and then walked straight through the portal, ready to take on anything. Tubbo followed closely behind, less confident in his skills, but just as sure in his intentions. They would save Ranboo, even if it killed them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were surprised yet again though, as there was absolutely nothing in the prison to attack them. As they walked through the portal which should have led them to the nether, they instead found themselves in a small hallway, barely 4 blocks wide, made completely out of obsidian. They both glanced around, confused about how this was meant to be the secure prison Dream had talked about. They both hesitated for only a second before making their way down the hallway. It wasn’t a very long hallway, and they found the end fairly quickly, but what they found only furthered their worry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the end of the hallway was a small room, barely a ten block square, also made of solid obsidian. There was a single block missing, covered instead by iron bars that allowed Techno and Tubbo to peer inside the room. Inside they saw nothing but a single person, sat huddled in the corner of the room, hugging his knees. Ranboo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo instantly felt relief upon seeing his friend after 4 days of him being missing. He called out Ranboo’s name and watched as the man flinched as if hearing any voice frightened him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go away, go away,” they heard Ranboo mutter to himself as he brought his hands up to cover his ears. They watched as he began to rock back and forth as he muttered what sounded like “you’re not real, you’re not real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo?” Tubbo tried again, choosing a much softer tone this time as he felt worry grip his heart again. “Ranboo please, just look at us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no. I won’t. I won’t. You’re not safe here. Go away.” He continued muttering, still only staring at the dark floor of the room he was locked in. Tubbo looked up at Techno to see his reaction and felt his fear grow as he noticed that Techno looked just as confused and lost as Tubbo felt. The young man started to feel panic cloud his senses once again as his breathing quickened and pulse grew rapid. What was wrong with Ranboo? How were they supposed to break him out of here if they couldn’t even get him to look at them?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, they’re not here. You’re playing tricks on me again. They hate me, they aren’t here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno realized that Ranboo wasn’t talking to them anymore, it didn’t even seem like he was talking to himself at this point. “Ranboo, we are here. Just look at us, see us. Listen.” Techno tried, in a calm yet commanding voice. He watched as somehow his words seemed to at least slightly get through as Ranboo stopped rocking and his hands over his ears slightly loosened. “Ranboo, listen to me. Focus on my voice, only my voice, nothing else, okay? Can you do that?” Techno waited for a reply, and just as he was beginning to think the other boy didn’t hear him again, he watched as Ranboo almost unnoticeably nodded his head to affirm. Before Techno could speak again though, Ranboo spoke up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You shouldn’t be here. I understand that you want to make me pay, but I will just end up hurting you more somehow.” Tubbo was taken aback by his friend's words, but they didn’t sound threatening. It didn’t seem as though he wanted to hurt them, it just seemed as though he believed that it was inevitable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t hurt us. I know you, you wouldn’t do that,” Tubbo said, attempting to reassure his friend. He watched as Ranboo shook his head, seeming to signify that Tubbo wasn’t understanding something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will. I already have, I can’t help it. It’s all I do, I hurt people.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not true,” Tubbo’s tone turned almost angry as he found himself defending Ranboo, almost as if he was talking to someone other than the boy himself. “You’ve never hurt me, I don’t think you’ve hurt Technoblade.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have, I know I have. I don’t….I don’t remember….but I know I have.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo you have a bad memory, you’re just remembering wrong,” Techno tried to reassure him, unsure of exactly what to say to get through to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think I don’t know that?” Ranboo yelled, looking up to make eye contact with the others for the first time, his eyes shone with tears that he was very obviously trying hard to fight. “I know I have memory problems! I know I do, but I know what I’ve done…I…I blew up the community house, I blew up L’Manberg. I’ve destroyed everything.” His voice faded off to a near whisper at the end, and Techno found himself glancing down to Tubbo, trying to silently communicate that he was just confused. He was surprised to see Tubbo with a hard expression on his face. He looked angry, angrier than Techno had ever seen him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo how would you know that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just…I just know. I’m destructive, I destroy things. It’s what I do. It's why I’m here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No you’re here because Dream brought you here. Is that how you know? Did he tell you these things?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Techno finally started to catch on. Without his memory book, Ranboo wouldn’t remember much from his past, especially not the moment of high stress. And when he was arrested, Dream would have taken all his possessions, including the book. From there, Dream would be able to convince the boy of anything he wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dream lied to you Ranboo. He’s manipulated your memories to make you believe that you caused the destruction that HE did. You didn’t do any of that Ranboo,” Tubbo said, unsure if he would be able to override the memories that Dream had planted in his head. He watched as Ranboo shook his head more, as if the conflicting stories were fighting each other in his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no. I know I did it. I destroy everything. The community house, L’Manberg, Tommy’s house…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not true.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo and Techno turned to the new voice that appeared behind them, ready to fight, but Tubbo immediately dropped his weapon when he realized it was none other than Tommy standing in front of him. Tubbo instantly felt the slightest bit of comfort at his best friend’s arrival, and based on his words, hoped he had something that could help them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not true Ranboo,” Tommy repeated. “I thought it was too, but it’s not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ranboo stared up at Tommy, as if trying to process his words, still not believing that he hadn’t caused the destruction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The day you came to visit me, the day we fought. You came to my house and looked surprised. I thought you were antagonizing me, mocking me, because I knew you were working with Dream. I knew he had told you to destroy my house and that you had gone along with his plan. I...I thought you were on his side, I thought you had betrayed me.” Tommy took a deep breath and prepared to tell the whole truth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did...didn't I?” Ranboo asked, staring into Tommy’s eyes, searching for the answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you didn't. You were never on his side. I know that now.” Tommy said, revealing an item he had hidden from everyone up until this point. A disc. One of </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> discs that Dream supposedly had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-what? How?” Tubbo asked in confusion, eyes locked on the disc in Tommy’s hand. He glanced at Ranboo to see his eyes also fixed on the disc, looking as if he vaguely recognized it but couldn't remember why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you recognize this Ranboo? You left it for me. You knew something was wrong, you knew Dream was planning something horrible. So you left this for me to find. You knew that it was the one thing that could prove you were on my side all along.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I don’t remember that. I don’t remember anything!” Ranboo raised his voice, frustration clear in his tone, sounding angry at himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Tommy paused, as if he had more information but wasn’t sure if he should actually share it or not. After a second, he took a deep breath and continued. “I don’t know if this will actually help at all, but you also left this,” Tommy admitted, pulling out the one item that may be their savior. The book. He had the memory book. “This was also in the chest with the disc. You left them for me. You trusted that I would find it, along with the disc and come help you, so I’m here. I’m here to help Ranboo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tubbo felt relief wash over him, the book could clear everything up! Although he felt his relief ripped away when Techno questioned Tommy’s exact wording. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tommy, what do you mean you don't know if it will help?” Techno asked, confusion and worry filling his voice. Tommy held the book out to Ranboo through the iron bars. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look for yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trio watched as Ranboo stared at the book, as if unsure if he should take it. After a few seconds of internal debate, he slowly made his way to Tommy and hesitantly grabbed the book from his hand. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for what may lie within, but when he opened the book, he found himself more confused than ever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It...it doesn't say anything. It just says...” Ranboo trailed off, reading the very short entry in the book. Once he read the single line, he looked up at Tommy in a panic, fear evident in his wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tommy looked sympathetic, wishing he could offer more to Ranboo. “I know. I’m sorry. I think you erased everything when you realized Dream would come after you. You only left yourself that note…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know who to trust…” Ranboo whispered, not really reading it to the others, but really just saying it so he could hear the words for himself. It didn’t make sense. He didn't know who to trust, that was the whole problem! He couldn't even trust himself!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you see Ranboo? He’s lied to you. Trust me, out of anyone here, I am the one person you can trust about this. I know what he’s like. He plays tricks on you, he makes you think you’re the bad guy. You probably think he’s your friend. I did too. He’s not, Ranboo, you need to understand that he has manipulated you. Please, think for yourself. Trust us, the same way we trust in you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three men stood and watched as Ranboo began to process the information given to him. They watched as he began to realize, he began to understand. And they watched as that realization broke Ranboo’s heart even more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right…I think…I think you’re right. But it doesn’t matter anymore.” Techno, Tommy and Tubbo all shared a look of confusion at Ranboo’s words and worry grew in their chests. “It doesn’t matter anymore because he’s already won. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter what happens anymore, it doesn’t matter if I think I’m the good guy or the bad guy, because either way, I’m here. I’m stuck in this prison. He’s already won.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Realization dawned on the trio as they all began to dispute Ranboo’s words, not willing to accept defeat after how far they had come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, that’s not true. We can get you out, the three of us, together.” Tubbo said, already looking around the empty room for any ideas.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Couldn’t we just mine him out? This doesn’t make sense,” Tommy remarked, glancing at the solid obsidian walls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s no use. You can’t mine here, it’s impossible. He made sure I knew that,” Ranboo said, defeat evident in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can figure something out, there has to be something,” Techno reassured him, knowing there had to be some sort of solution.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s useless. This was built to keep me here permanently. That’s why no one has shown up to stop you. They know you don’t have a chance.” Ranboo said sadly. The trio watched as the tears that had been threatening to spill from Ranboo’s eyes finally dripped down onto his cheeks. They were powerless to help him as the water in the tears burned his skin and he cried out in pain, agony consuming him. Tubbo looked desperately at Techno and Tommy, hoping they could do something to stop his friend’s agony, his screams echoing through the small hallway. All three of them felt completely helpless, useless against their friend’s weakness. It was who he was, Enderman couldn’t help but feel pain when exposed to water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Enderman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly Techno’s eyes went large as the realization struck him. He rushed over to the iron bars and spoke quickly to Ranboo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo, you’re right. This prison was built specifically for you. But Dream said the one person it’s built for will be more than capable of breaking out, if they really want to. That’s why he had to manipulate you into thinking it was safer if you stayed in here. Because he knew you could get out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ranboo struggled to listen to Techno’s words as pain continued to captivate his attention. He had to force himself to stop crying, he had to control it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo, you’re an enderman! You can teleport out!” Tubbo said, finally catching on to Techno’s point. He wasn’t actually sure about the extent of Ranboo’s half-species, but he knew he had the ability to teleport. The two friends had talked about it one time, long ago, when Tubbo had witnessed it, and Ranboo was terrified of Tubbo’s reaction. He never teleported because he was afraid to share too much of a public resemblance to the mob, worried that people would be scared of him. Ironic that this seemed to be the only thing that could save him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…I don’t know if I can, I don’t think I can do it anymore.” Ranboo said, slightly panicked. He didn’t want to let his friends down, but it just wasn’t something he thought was feasible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ranboo, you know I would never say this to you otherwise, but you need to cry more.” Tommy remarked, confusing those around him. “Enderman teleport when they’re exposed to water, so if water hurts him, it would probably help him teleport out of here,” he explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay…okay, I’ll try.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ranboo closed his eyes as he began to take deep breaths, trying to force tears to come to his eyes, something he had trained himself to fight off for so many years. It felt unnatural to him, his body fought against what he knew he needed to do, a defense mechanism to avoid the excruciating pain he knew he would feel. He tried to think of sad things, but he had become so desensitized to crying from sadness over the years that nothing seemed to work. Then he started thinking about his friends. About the three people stood before him, who against all odds had fought to be by his side and defended him against everything. They believed in him when no one did, not even himself; saw the good in him that he had convinced himself was nonexistent. Before he knew it, he found himself crying tears of joy, and a second later, felt the familiar feeling of wind blowing on his face, drying the tears on his cheeks almost instantaneously. He opened his eyes to find himself on the roof of the prison, staring out into the sunset. He took his first breath of fresh air in days as he found himself sitting cross-legged, waiting for his friends to exit the prison and join him in his newfound freedom.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I really hope you enjoyed the fic! I really enjoy feedback, so feel free to comment!<br/>Also shout out to Liana if you see this, you were the main person who inspired me to write this, ily, thank you for hyping me up so much! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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